Death Valley is the lowest place on earth. Number Two? The Turpan valley:
Turpan City is located in the middle of Xinjiang [….] It is an olive-shaped intermountain basin in the east of the Tianshan Mountains, surrounded by mountains on all sides. The Aydingkol Lake in the south Turpan, 155 meters (509 feet) below sea level, is the second-lowest depression in the world. Turpan is widely known by many visitors because of the Flaming Mountain. It is the hottest place in China, with the highest temperature of 47.8 ℃ (118 ℉) in summer and 89 ℃ (192 ℉) on the surface.
www.travelchinaguide.com/...
There is some disagreement over how to spell it. Previously, it was Turfan, but now Turpan seems to be preferred.
It’s historically important as a crossroads.
Turfan … has long been the centre of a fertile oasis and an important trade centre on the main northern branch of the Silk Road from Hami to Kashgar….
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Traditionally, Turfan was on the border between the nomadic peoples of the north and the settled oasis dwellers of Xinjiang. Under the Han dynasty (206 bce–220 ce) the Chinese knew it as the Gushi kingdom, and later the Jushi, or Cheshi.
www.britannica.com/...
Dry, dry, dry...
As it turns out, Turpan’s grape production also yields leaves that are extremely suitable for turning into dolmas [1:23]:
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Dry and hot.
Turpan is a unique city. It is located in the Turpan Basin at the depth of 154 m below sea level. From all sides the city is surrounded by deserts and mountains, destroyed medieval towns and ruins of ancient settlements. The area, the city is situated on, is called the Valley of Winds: the pressure inside the cavity differs much from the pressure outside it, while a rapid movement of air flow generates a strong vortex. This makes a trip through the valley somewhat uncomfortable, though, the local community learned how to adapt to it long ago.
The locals named Turpan as "Fire Land”, because it is the hottest city in China and one of the driest places in the world.
www.advantour.com/...
Wow!
The Flower Crown of the table (Sanza? Sangza?) [6:46]:
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Turpan is the place to go for sand therapy, that’s for sure.
Although the high temperature can be oppressive people can also get some benefits from it. The abundant sunshine gives the melons and grapes ideal conditions to grow. The fruit here is widely known for its high sugar content, especially the grapes. The place is praised as the 'Hometown of Grapes' and the Grape Valley is a good place to enjoy the grapes of hundreds of varieties. Apart from that, the locals are quite fond of sand therapy which has a history of hundreds of years. People lie or sit under sheds, burying their bodies in hot sand….
www.travelchinaguide.com/...
We’re still in Uyghur territory, which means we’re also in China-hatin’-on-Uyghurs territory.
Kebab Chicken Polo (pilaf) looks delicious [11:03]:
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It’s an oasis:
Despite the heat, the ground water and fertile soil of the Turpan depression has made this a veritable oasis in the desert, evidenced by the nearby centuries-old remains of ancient cities, imperial garrisons and Buddhist caves. The city itself has a mellow vibe to it, and recovering from a day’s sightseeing over a cold Xīnjiāng beer under the grapevines on a warm summer evening is one of the joys of traveling through the province.
www.lonelyplanet.com/...
This is lovely. Would any of our fiber artists care to comment about it?
Uygur-style Lamb Burgers, yum [7:14]:
But for best results, you have to make the Lamburger buns yourself [13:19]:
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Gotta love archeology. There’s always something interesting.
TURFAN, CHINA—Science News reports that an international team of archaeologists, fashion designers, geoscientists, chemists, and conservators led by Mayke Wagner of the German Archaeological Institute has analyzed a 3,000-year-old pair of trousers discovered in a grave in Yanghai cemetery, which is located in northwestern China’s Tarim Basin. ✂️ “A diversity of textile techniques and patterns of different local origins, traditions, and times merged into something new in this garment,” Wagner explained. For more, go to "World's Oldest Pants."
www.archaeology.org/...
The world’s oldest pants are in pretty good shape after 3,000 years. My jeans can get like that after only 10 years 😂 :
And for dessert, a honey cake [8:55]:
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So c’mon into the cafe and grab a cuppa...
...and a nice nosh…
...and join us!
In case you missed it:
Ancient Silk Road Cities #1: Bukhara www.dailykos.com/...
Ancient Silk Road Cities #2: Samarkand www.dailykos.com/...
Ancient Silk Road Cities #3: Osh www.dailykos.com/…
Ancient Silk Road Cities #4: Kashgar www.dailykos.com/...
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